The book Looking Back: A History of the Grameen Family, written by Nurjahan Begum, is a narrative of the birth and expansion of Grameen Bank, particularly focusing on its long-lasting impact on the empowerment of poor women in Bangladesh.
In the introduction of the book, Professor Muhammad Yunus describes the author, Nurjahan Begum, as an "extremely brave" young woman. Yunus states that Nurjahan was vital in explaining his ideas to the poor women of Jobra village when the lending activities first began. The project later emerged as an "experimental rural branch" of the Bangladesh Krishi Bank, where Nurjahan served as a bank official responsible for establishing communication with members and explaining bank regulations. Professor Yunus further mentions that Nurjahan led the promotion and implementation of the "Sixteen Decisions" (Sixteen Precepts), formulated by center leaders to address critical social issues like the dowry system.
According to Nurjahan Begum's description, the lives of rural women at that time were trapped in extreme poverty, social discrimination, helplessness, and a web of dependence on moneylenders. The book highlights the transformative nature of microcredit, which began with the distribution of small loans and emphasized savings. This habit eventually led to a point where the collective savings of the members exceeded their total loan amount.
